Primetweets Beauty
Have you ever been tempted to go no ‘poo? I’ve tried homemade shampoo but have never been especially happy with the results. My hair seems to freak out at the prospect of detoxing and becomes somewhat unravelled. The no shampoo adjustment period – which is said to last weeks – has me totally petrified. Who can endure a 2-week long bad hair day? If you’re not ready for no poo, there’s good news – a deep cleansing DIY scalp scrub will not only leave your hair refreshed but it also feels amazing.
Since the regular use of conditioners, gels, hair spray, and so on can make hair dull and flat, it is vital to strip away this buildup without jeopardizing the health of your hair. These DIY scalp scrubs get rid of product buildup on your scalp and hair follicles. If your hair looks limp and lifeless, and maybe you’re noticing a little more grease than usual, it’s time to give your scalp some TLC with a deep cleansing scrub.
3 easy & inexpensive DIY scalp scrubs
A healthy scalp also means healthy hair in the long run – so it’s worth tackling the issue for the health of not just your scalp, but your hair. Here are three of the most common scalp issues, what they’re telling you and how you can fix ’em.
Is your scalp oily?
If you have an oily scalp, you know how frustrating it can be for your hair to feel squeaky clean one minute and dirty the next. Hair gets oily because the sebaceous glands in your scalp produce excess sebum, which holds onto dirt and weighs hair down, making it look dirty all too soon.
Shampooing too much or too little can throw off the balance of healthy oil production in your scalp. Several factors can send oil production into overdrive, but the first thing to try is simple: shampoo less often.
It may sound counter-intuitive, but shampoo actually strips your hair of oil, causing your scalp to produce more in response. So by shampooing less, over time you can train your hair and scalp to produce less oil.
1. Exfoliating Brown Sugar + Oatmeal Scrub
This scalp scrub combines brown sugar and oatmeal to gently exfoliate the scalp, provide moisture and increase circulation to the hair follicle. This scrub exfoliates without adding excess oil or drying out your scalp.
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons finely ground oatmeal
- 2 tablespoons hair conditioner
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Shampoo your hair first to remove any styling products, and then scoop a small amount in the palm of your hand and work the scrub into your scalp, using a circular motion. Rinse hair thoroughly.
Is your scalp dry?
Dry scalp is caused by too little moisture in the skin, which then causes your scalp to become irritated and flake off. While there are a lot of factors at play when it comes to dry scalp, it usually has a simple cause. Two of the most common? Cold, dry air or harsh styling products.
Up your hydration and give your scalp and strands a break from styling. And just like with an oily scalp, it’s important not to wash your hair too often or you risk stripping away its natural oils.
2. Deep Cleansing Salt + Olive Oil Scalp Scrub
Salt and oil combine to stimulate hair growth and remove any dry flakes without drying out the scalp. Olive oil makes an excellent conditioning mask as its fatty acids coat the hair, providing moisture and protection against damage. Salt exfoliates the scalp while the lemon juice dissolves any product residue.
If you don’t have lemon juice on hand, you can substitute apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is excellent for restoring shine and also makes an excellent scrub.
- 2 tablespoons sea salt
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Mix salt, lemon juice and oil together and then wet your hair and massage scrub into scalp and let it sit for several minutes. Rinse well and follow with shampoo.
Is your scalp flaky?
When we think of flakes, most often we think of dandruff. Unlike with a dry scalp, dandruff flakes are caused by too much oil on the scalp. This excess oil encourages the overgrowth of a natural yeast on the scalp, which causes skin cells to build up and your body to respond with uncomfortable redness and itching.
Before turning to a harsh, medicated shampoo, treat your scalp. Start by getting rid of styling product build-up (which could be a cause of your flakes) and getting your scalp’s oil levels back to normal if you’re finding your scalp is super oily (and therefore super dandruffy).
3. Clarifying Shampoo + Baking Soda Scalp Scrub
Add baking soda to your shampoo for an easy and inexpensive clarifying shampoo that gently absorbs oil and removes product buildup. Use 1-2 times a month to maintain your scalp’s pH level.
Tea tree oil is naturally antifungal and antibacterial so using it on your hair helps eliminate the sources of flakes and dandruff, too. To dislodge existing flakes, you can add a tablespoon or two of salt.
- 1 heaping tablespoon baking soda
- Big squeeze of shampoo (roughly 1 tablespoon)
- a few drops of tea tree oil
Combine all of the ingredients and work the mixture through your hair, focusing on the scalp and roots. Give yourself a couple of minutes to work the scrub into your hair and enjoy a nice scalp massage to remove the accumulation of product and dead skin buildup. Rinse thoroughly with warm water. Note: this scrub isn’t recommended for color treated hair as the baking soda can strip out hair color.
Finish your scalp treatment with a moisturizing coconut oil, honey or avocado hair mask or an apple cider vinegar rinse to seal the outermost layer of your hair, the cuticles, leaving it super shiny.
